SENATE RESOLUTION

                         1996-8706

By Senators McAuliffe, Roach, Sellar, Wood, Finkbeiner, Sheldon, Johnson, Prentice, Cantu, Long, Prince, Goings, Morton, Pelz, Franklin, Hochstatter, Hale, Kohl, Bauer, Loveland, Thibaudeau, Spanel, Strannigan, Snyder, Newhouse, Fairley, Fraser and Moyer

     WHEREAS, Reading is a basic life skill and the foundation for all future learning, and students need to graduate from high school with adequate reading skills; and

     WHEREAS, Teachers, parents, educators, librarians, state-wide education associations, literacy councils, local school districts, business, higher education, and educational service districts are interested in promoting ideas with regard to the effective teaching of reading; and

     WHEREAS, The world is moving into a technological-information age in which full participation in education, science, business, industry, and other professions will require increasing levels of literacy; and

     WHEREAS, Research clearly shows that children read better if they are read to at home, encouraged to read in their free time, and when their parents value education, and students need to be encouraged to spend considerably more time reading than watching television; and

     WHEREAS, There is a documented connection between illiteracy and juvenile crime; and

     WHEREAS, There are many state-wide education organizations that plan to focus their attention on the teaching and learning of reading; and

     WHEREAS, A state-wide focus on literacy will result in improved instruction state-wide and create an atmosphere that fosters a love of reading;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate respectfully pray that the Governor of the state of Washington declare 1997 as the Year of the Reader; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the Honorable Mike Lowry, Governor, and to the Honorable Judith Billings, Superintendent of Public Instruction.

I, Marty Brown, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 1996-8706,

adopted by the Senate March 6, 1996.

MARTY BROWN

Secretary of the Senate